A Private Dance? Four Million Web Fans Say No

[Voice for Peace]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/08/arts/television/08dancer.html?em&ex=1215662400&en=1c9425dc6d0eb3c2&ei=5087%0A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY

A Private Dance? Four Million Web Fans Say No
There are no weekend box office charts for online videos. But if there were, near or at the very top of the list right now might well be a four-and-a-half-minute video called “Dancing,” which more than four million people have viewed on YouTube, and perhaps another million on other sites, in the just over two weeks since it appeared. It’s the online equivalent of a platinum hit, seeping from one computer to the next like a virus.
-snip-
Now he’s on the streets in Mumbai one minute, balanced on the Giant’s Causeway rock formation in Northern Ireland the next, and then he’s in a tulip field in the Netherlands or in front of a geyser in Iceland. Sometimes Mr. Harding dances alone. On a Christmas Island beach he has an audience of crabs, and on Madagascar he performs for lemurs.

But more often — and this accounts for much of the video’s appeal — he’s in the company of others: South African street children in Soweto, bushmen in New Guinea, Bollywood-style dancers in India, some oddly costumed waitresses in Tokyo, crowds of free spirits in Paris, Madrid and rainy Montreal, all copying, or trying to, his flailing chicken-step. Mr. Harding even dances for a lone military policeman (unmoved to join him) in the Korean demilitarized zone.

In many ways “Dancing” is an almost perfect piece of Internet art: it’s short, pleasingly weird and so minimal in its content that it’s open to a multitude of interpretations. It could be a little commercial for one-world feel-goodism. It could be an allegory of American foreign policy: a bumptious foreigner turning up all over the world and answering just to his own inner music. Or it could be about nothing at all — just a guy dancing.

However you interpret it, you can’t watch “Dancing” for very long without feeling a little happier.

[sazemisery]

1. Not to mention the 10 million views of the first time he did this

I love these. Whenever I feel down I can watch these and smile 30 seconds in.

[zanne]

2. I love that video...

I used to imitate tap dancers by getting up and just waving my arms and flopping my feet around. I even had a "big finish", where I'd tapdance out of the room.

Matt's dance isn't quite as funny, but what the hell. The video makes me smile.

[TahitiNut]

46. "The video makes me smile."

Indeed. I not only smile, I choke up, chuckle, and get a little teary.

Strange. It's like we're starved for affirmations that we're 'one people' ... common in our humanity. Something which should be common becomes sadly uncommon after so many years of the "politics of fear, division, and scarcity."

It's really a special and wonderfully innocent video ... brilliant!

[Buzz Clik]

3. Don't forget to watch the outtakes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT8jA_pps3o

[Voice for Peace]

5. thanks!

I love the dancing children. kids know where it's at. they're not too far removed from the primordial joyful urge inside.

[fasttense]

4. I love it when the children dance with him. n/t

[Buzz Clik]

6. The group dance scenes are really funny.

They turn into a video version of Where's Waldo.

It's also funny to watch people trying to imitate his funky dance -- the featured dancers are either too good at dancing to make it work or are absolutely horrid dancers.

I was under the impression that he was a rotten dancer until the Baliwood scene. That was great.

In the outtakes video, you get to see the kids start joining the dance one at a time.

[LeftHander]

7. MSM will drive him into the ground...

He will be on Leno, Letterman, Good Morning America, on every popular TV show and reality show.

Until everyone is quickly sick of him and his dance and his original video will be lost to obscurity.

And so will the message of how human we all are...

TV will ruin it.

[Voice for Peace]

9. there is something innate in human beings which is not ruinable:

the joy and the urge to dance. It can get buried and forgotten, but can't be ruined.

[arcadian]

13. It was ruined from the get go, it's stealth viral advertising.

I think it's for a shoe company in Australia.


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080708.WBwellsblog20080708101913/WBStory/WBwellsblog

Well how the hell should I know? The internet sensation which is the goofy, sort-of-dancing, globe-trotting Matt Harding is still going strong with a new, 2008, version. And the current YouTube post is charming. But but but. I was having lunch recently with a top-level ad exec and we got to chatting about the Matt phenom and he mentioned the subtle, post-roll credit for Stride Rite shoes on the video as an effective way to advertise to the young folk. Except that Matt's true sponsor is Stride gum, as the credit makes clear. Which makes you wonder: are the five million other viewers getting the message?

[MedleyMisty]

19. I didn't notice an ad

and I feel no compunction to go out and buy any shoes or gum.

I did enjoy the video, though.

[arcadian]

22. If you didn't notice it and you enjoyed it. Then it's done it's job.

n't

[MedleyMisty]

27. I went and watched it again

I think I closed the window before the ad last time.

But how has it done its job? I'm not planning on buying that brand of gum or shoes - I haven't bought gum of any sort in years and don't plan on starting again now and I wear shoes until they wear out and then I buy new ones based on appearance and fit and price. I do avoid Nike, but overall brand isn't a huge part of it. And I haven't linked the video to anyone else to spread it around.

[arcadian]

29. You talked about it and continue to talk about it right now.

And you mentioned the products in your previous post. You are promoting it. That is how propaganda works.

[redqueen]

32. No, that is not propoganda.

It's advertising.

[arcadian]

35. propaganda

http://www.mediastudies.com/propaganda.htm

b) Advertising is another form of propaganda in that it also encourages a way of thinking - followed by action. Critics of our hyper commercial culture might argue that advertising is indeed the most relentless and insidious form of propaganda because it's inescapable and continually finds new ways to reach us through, for example, stealth advertising including product placement techniques. Further criticism is levelled that ads are a form of propaganda because of their frequent generation of false needs.

[redqueen]

37. "it also encourages a way of thinking - followed by action"

Again... the vast majority of viewers will never buy either product.

IF it's intended to be propaganda, it is a very sorry attempt.

[arcadian]

39. You are so wrong on this one.

Look at all the free advertising this thread has generated for that product. And check this out:


Matt hands out Stride Gum bracelets to participants after they sign the release form:



These poor saps in the video aren't even being paid. They get a fucking free rubber bracelet. That is fucking genius!


http://www.livinginmyownworld.com/where-the-hell-is-israel-matt-harding-finds-out/

[redqueen]

41. I agree... it's genius.

I just don't see how it's going to get them very much in sales revenue. :shrug:

[arcadian]

43. Had you ever heard of that product before today?

Stride is actually a division of Cadbury. Would you be surprised that Matt has a $150,000,000 media blitz campaign that is backing his world travels?

http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-5280545_ITM

Cadbury Adams is staking a stunning $150 million in marketing over the next three years that it can make new Stride gum as hip as Red Bull. But can it get Stride right?

Todd Stitzer, CEO of parent Cadbury Schweppes, has pegged the fast-growing gum category as a priority for company growth and Stride, with its super-hip heavy-up marketing plan, is the clearest sign since acquiring Adams from Pfizer that he is serious.

A sugarless gum in glowing blue flip packages, Stride will ship this May with a $50 million year-one marketing campaign that begins in June with TV, print, radio,...



Also, I was being facetious when I said, "It's genius". I think it's horrible when companies dupe everyday people to participate in their marketing schemes scams.

[redqueen]

44. Yes I have heard of them before today.

Dupe? Who's being duped?

[arcadian]

49. The people who are being paid in rubber bracelets are being duped.

And anybody who thinks that this ad is about anything other than sales.

[redqueen]

53. All right.

We're just gonna have to agree to disagree then.

[MedleyMisty]

33. That does make sense, I suppose

Although is anyone reading this particular thread really going to rush out and buy the products? Although I have learned the lesson over and over that you can't assume anything about people just because they post at DU.

[arcadian]

38. The point is that they might.

It's in their head and now they will have happy thoughts about that company. Regardless, this whole thread, myself included of course is just spreading the message. For get about how that ad makes you feel, it's only purpose is to sell that product.

[snooper2]

40. you are not a very happy person are you...

need a hug? :hug:

[arcadian]

45. What does that have to do with anything?

Obviously, your concern is an attempt at a cheap shot. Just because I don't "go with the crowd" I must be miserable? Because I point out the hypocrisy of modern media, I deserve to have my personal well-being come into question? What an insult. Thanks.

[snooper2]

50. Okay, maybe just relax and smoke a joint...

You know, I was at the Wonders of the World show in London around 1812. They had the man with 2 penis, bearded lady and some wierd looking half cat half squirrel thing. When the owner got on stage to announce the start of the show, he reminded everyone to check out Nick Lampoons wagon wheel shop down the street. ( Nick helped build the stage )


:hi:

[TahitiNut]

51. It's not wise to hug a porcupine ...

... unless you're another porcupine. :evilgrin:

[redqueen]

26. Nobody cares about the ad. (nt)

[arcadian]

28. You don't understand advertising then.

n/t

[redqueen]

30. I do actually.

They most likely paid for the trips, and people enjoy the end product - the ad. If viewers then go on to buy gum or shoes, and their choice of brands is influenced, well then their money was well spent.

Whether someone's decision of what shoes or gum to buy is immaterial. I don't buy gum, or name brand shoes... and I liked the ad. I'm certain I'm in the majority on this one. Most viewers just like the ad, and won't give a second thought to the advertisers.

[arcadian]

34. In this case the ad is the product.

Nobody ever heard of some Australian or wherever shoes or gum called Stride. But they are associated with this ad regardless of whether or not you buy that product. You keep promoting(as do I) the ad and the product by merely mentioning it in every single post that you make on this thread. The fact that it's so touchy feely and everybody loves the commercial and forgets the product makes it that much more insidous. This will become a model for advertising, who knows maybe Mansanto will use this technique to sell some pesticide or somesuch in the future.

[redqueen]

36. "Sell" - yes, that's the key word.

Most people watching this, or reading these posts about the ads, will never buy either product.

So yeah... I'm sure Monsanto is all over this...

[arcadian]

12. It's already ruined. It's advertising.

The whole thing is an advertising gimmick masquerading as an internet phenomenon.

[hootinholler]

16. Yeah, just like I'd like to teach the world to sing was so fucked up.

:shrug:

-Hoot

[arcadian]

20. It wasn't fucked up at all. It made Coca-Cola a fuck load of money.

n/t

[LanternWaste]

14. I think TV's had it's heyday

I think TV's had it's heyday-- now it's up to the internet to ruin everything...

[sagetea]

8. To Dance....

It is one of life's greatest joys!!!
I have never seen that video, Thank you.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. Beautiful! Made my day. Thanks for posting. K&R

[TahitiNut]

48. Softie!

:rofl:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

52. My reputation as the ultimate cynic has been overstated.

Sssh. I get all mushy over kittens and puppies too.

[AwakeAtLast]

11. Beautiful!

:kick: & R!

It put a smile on my face and a tear in my eye, thanks! :hi:

[windoe]

15. This is good medicine~~~~

[TahitiNut]

47. It's a "chicken soup" video, for sure.

:thumbsup:

[TalkingDog]

17. smiled, laughed, cried.

people like each other.
governments don't like anybody.

[Ezlivin]

18. More effective than our ambassadors

And probably cheaper, too.

[IDemo]

21. This should be required viewing prior to any declaration or vote on war powers n/t

[NMDemDist2]

23. yeah, so flame me

that's the dumbest thing I ever saw

can I have that 1.59 minutes back??

sorry, couldn't last 4+

[Voice for Peace]

24. LOL... can't have those moments back, sorry.. you have to choose wisely, don't blame somebody else

[NMDemDist2]

42. duly noted.

:rofl:

[redqueen]

25. Commercial but still good.

Touching even.

[ceile]

31. Wow.

I got a little misty eyed.

[OneBlueSky]

54. If you can walk, you can dance . . .

If you can talk, you can sing . . .

[Lisa0825]

55. I don't have a problem with him having a sponsor.

He did the first video on his own. The video got passed around. Stride saw an opportunity and made the offer. According to Matt, Stride has been very cool and hasn't interfered with him, and let him make the subsequent videos on his own. The ad is unobtrusive. I think Matt is cool. I loved his videos. They made me smile, laugh, and envy him for the amazing experiences he has had traveling. The glimpses of other cultures were beautiful, especially the Rwandan kids. The landscape shots and animal shots were awesome. My single favorite scene is when he is dancing with the folk dancers in India, and suddenly switches from his silly dance to joining in with the ladies' moves.

I spent about an hour exploring his website after the first video I saw because I enjoyed it so much. I also like the music in the videos and the story behind it. Matt seems like a very genuine person who took an opportunity was handed to him, and I see absolutely nothing wrong with that.

I think people who have a problem with it are just grumps.